Signal.



E. 0. BRANINGTON.

SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY H. 1213.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. O. BRANINGTON. SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1913.

1,136,402, Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 UNITED STATES PATENT ame.

EDWHIN O. BRANING-TON, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YOItK, ASSIGNOR T0 ANDREW- HOCHBEITEB, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

SIGNAL.

j s pecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, P915.

' Application filed July 11, 1913. Serial No, 778,545.

TON. of" Rochester, in the county of Monroe.

and State of New ,York, have invented a new and. useful .Impr'ovement'in Signals, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to signalsand an object thereof is to provide a construction for notifying traflic officers and occupants of following vehicles as to the direction in which the vehicle carrying the signal is to travel, the signal preferabl being so constructed that its indications wi l be visible at night or during day-light.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure l is a view show ing the indicating face of-the signal in elevation; Fig. 2 is.a vertical section through the signal showing the semaphore in neutral position; Fig'. 3 is-a view similar to Fig. 2 showing thesemaphore shifted to one of its indicating'positions; Fig.4'is a vertical section'i'through :the casing on the line a.a,

F ig.--2;JFig. 5-is a detail view of the operat-' ingjnechanismfo'r shifting the indicator or semaphore, and Fig. 6 is i a diagrammatic view showing the circuits for operating the signal.

Referring more particularly to the draw-. ings; 1 indicates a casing which may be of any suitable-form and have a light source therein, such, for instance, as an incandescent electric bulb- 2 as shown. This casing is preferably also provided with a lens or glass 3- which maybe colored to give a red 'light, thus serving as the tail lamp of the vehicle as required by. the laws of many i States: The .cas1ng.:may' also be provided with a'lens'or glass -l in one. of its lateral side walls for the purpose of projecting a beam of light on the license number of the vehicle on which the signal is arranged.

The casing is also provided with two lenses or glasses 5 andf'6 for projecting two beams of rays from the light source within the casing and these'lenses are preferably uncolored' and are preferably also arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of the col lamp. U Within the casing, a semaphore or indicator 7 is provided. This semaphore may be made of transparent material and is preferably colored, for instance, red, in order that when it is shifted between the light source 2 and either one of the openings 5 or 6 a colored or red light will be given by said opening, the normal position of this indicator being below both. of the openings 5 and 6, and said indicator being mounted to turn in either direction about an axis 8 from its central or neutral position in order to cover either one of the openings .5 or 6.

The indicator 7 .is designed more especially for giving 'a signal at night and, if

' one is close to the signal, the position of the indicator may also be determined during the day-time but to insure a more effective signal during the day-time, there may be provided a supplemental indicator preferably in the form of two opposite extending arms 9 and 10 arranged substantially atright angles to each other, shaped like arrowsand sup ported from an arm 11 which extends from for shifting the moyahle indicators. In this instance, thesemaphord-Y has its. arm 13 which pivoted at 8, provided with an arcuate slot 14 above its pivot 8'. In this slot a lateral projection. 15 .on an arm 16 operates, the arm 16 beingpivo'ted at 17 below the pivot of the semaphorhrdsbeing notched at 18 so as to pass about the pivot8 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3. Below the pivot 17. the arm 16 is formed with a slot or way 19 in which works a lateral projection 20 on an arm 21 which is pivoted above the pivot 8 and to one side of the projection 20 and which carries a depending armature 22 on the other side ofthe projection 20. \Vith this arrangement, a small movement of the lever 21 is multiplied in the lever 16 and is still further multiplied in the semaphore arm 13, thus permitting the semaphore 7 to be shifted to either side This;

I of its neutral position through the medium H of electro-magnets. The latter are arranged in two pairs 23 and 24 arranged on opposite sides of the armature 22. These magnets maybe connected to' a common battery 25' and controlled from a common switch 26 movable to the contacts 27' and 28 to clos the circuits to the magnets 23 and 24 respectively, the switch 26 being located in proximity to the steering wheel in order that the operator may control the signal from the seat of the vehicle.

The signal may be mounted on the front or the rear end of the vehicle or signals may be mounted on both ends. When mounted on the front end of a vehicle, it serves to notify traflic officers of the direction in which the -vehicle intends to travel and, when mounted on the rear end, it serves to notify following vehicles of the direction of travel of the vehicle. The operator of the vehicle, as he approaches the turning point, shifts a switch 26 to energize the magnets 23 or the magnets 24, depending on whether the vehicle is to be turned to the left or to the right.

Assume the magnets 2i are energized, the armature 22 will be drawn to'ward such magnets, shifting the lever 21 which in turn a shifts the lever 16 that shifts the semaphore Q-arm lthus causing the semaphore 7 to be interposed between'the light source 2 and the opening 6 in the casing, at the same time shifting the arrow 10 over the opening 6, thus giving two indicationsto the following vehicles of the direction in "which the vehicle containing the signal is to turn. The transparent semaphore 7 is especially adapted for night use while the arrow 10 gives a better day signal. After the vehicle has turned a corner, the switch 26 is turned to its neutral position, thereby deenergi zing the magnets and permitting the semaphore 7 with the arrows 9 and 10 to drop to neutral positions under their own weights, ready to be shifted again either to the right or to the left. The signal also acts as a tail lamp to the vehicle and serves further to illuminate the license ne of the main features of this invention is the arrangement .of the three lamps one between and slightly above the other two so that this lamp is preferably colored com I bines with either of the other lamps to denote the direction of turning of the vehicle. It is apparent that the two lowerlamps may be used alone for 'ving indications of the directions of travcfi of the vehicle but the combination of the three is more effective as it produces an immediate impression on the mind as to the direction the vehicle "is to travel and this is especially true when bothwill simultaneously project an uncoloned r 80 light.

2. 'A signaling device comprising having two openings, a light sourcewathin.

myiiiventieiit and desire lass therein, a 7

the casing, and a transparent coloredrsenia;

phore arranged to be interposed between light source and either of said pening's'in order that a colored light may be projected a by such opening, said semaphore being -n-its normal position out of cooperative relation with either of the openings and'hidd en by the casing so thatboth openings may simultaneously project an uncolored, light.

3. A signaling device comprising a casing having two openings, each of which-has an uncolored glass therein, said casing alsohava.

ing a third opening situated between the first two openings and having a-colored glass therein, a light source in the casing,,and means normally out of cooperative relati oi with both of said openings so that saidopen-i vings may simultaneously project uncolored light, said means being operable-to cooperate with either of the openings to cause such opening to project a colored light.

4. A signaling device-comprising a casing having two openings, each provided with an uncolored lens, a light source within the cas: ing, and a transparent colored semaphore normally lying hidden by the casing between the two openings so that the latter may project uncolored lights but movable to either side of its normal position to be interposedbetween the light source and either of the lenses to cause such lens to project a colored light. a

- 5. A signaling device comprising a casing transparent colored semaphore normally lying at a pointbetween the other two openings, and means for moving said semaphore to either side of its normalposition in order to cause the semaphore to cooperate with either of the openings. V

6. A signaling device comprising a casing having two openings, 9. light source within the casing, a-transparent colored sema hore normally lying out of cooperative re ation with both openings and hidden by themeing, and two electromagnetic" devices one 115 having three openings, one arranged between the other two and'providedwith a colored glass, a light source within-the casing, a

for moving: the semaphoie' in one dii-eetion eogperete with one jof the openings and the er for movingsaid semaphore in the other direotion tau-cooperate with the other 7. A signalingdevioe comprisin"' .havin three openings, one I g Q between the ofiier two and pz ovided wi gees, e transparent sema normal! yingoutof cooperative re ation with b of said openings, and two electromagnetic devices, one for one direction from its normal position to cooperate with one of said two openi and the other .for moving the semaphore 1n the pposite direction from its normal-position for cofipemting' with the other of said; two

openings, i

' 8. 1L signaling device comprising a casing haviig three openings, one of which .is an" rang between the other two. and is pie.

vi'ded with :i colored lens and-the other two op'eningsfbeing provided with uncolored lenses, a. light source within the casing, and

n=-tre I arent semaphoi'e lmvi a, color eorrespon" t'o'the color of the intermediate 1ens and the uneolored lenses to modiiy theflightpro- -jected by such lens. e I r so 9. The

'7 movable to either side of a vertical normal position'and pivoted near its uppenendso v as to maintain the vertical'normal position by the action of gravity, said semaphore -between its ends thereof provided with a pro ection operating the semaphore, a second lever pivoted at its a colored also moving said semaphore in,

said member connectl'cnxwith saidmem er above the ivet- V I aptekl toeoiipernte with. either of combination with t' semaphore able to 006 having a slotted portion, of alever pivoted and having the'longer arm in the slotted portion of upper end, andpin and slot connection with the first-ment oned lever, and having an armeture at its lower end, end electromagntsl arr ed' on opposite sides at said armature to ii opposite directions.

10. The combination with a. member piv-' oted near its upper end and movable in-op posite directions from a centralnomial posi; tion, ofe lever ivoted'belowthe ivo't of and ha a. pin 'an a. slot heving between its ends, ,9,

of the letter, a. second lever pivoted a 've' s 'ftthelntterin' the said mernber and having e pin and 'slot onneetion with the first named lever below the .pivot of said le'rer, an armtn "dependin% from'said second lever below the pin en slot connection, and electromegnets an mn'geion opposite sides-of tlzxje-girlinitnne,

havingtwo openings, a light souree'wvithin the casing, and two-s'indieators, one ,within thecaein end' one on the exterior of theuni both being simultaneously nov- I rate with eithertof the o DWIiZlNO. BRAKING ON Witnesses:

- H. SW8,

ADA M, Wurrmoan.

signaling device comprising a casing, 

